Why Events Matter
Events are the front door of ETS Performance. Not the website. Not the ad. The moment a parent walks into a facility, sees Proverbs on the wall, watches phones go in the bucket, and meets the director-coach who will train their child. That moment converts. Everything else is prologue.
A $500 church fitness night that produces 8 evaluations outperforms a $2,000 Facebook ad spend at the same conversion rate. In-person experience converts better than any digital touchpoint because ETS sells something that cannot be communicated through a screen: the lived experience of a coach-owned facility where the person running the business is the person coaching your child.
This playbook covers two distinct event machines: the Parent Machine (local, per-facility community events that bring families through the door) and the Operator Machine (national conferences and virtual events that recruit the next generation of director-coaches).
Every event has one primary goal, quantified success criteria, and a defined conversion path to the next step: evaluation booking or operator application.
Post-event follow-up within 4 hours is non-negotiable. Lead value decays 50% per day after initial contact.
Every event produces 30-60 days of downstream content. An event that generates only leads is half an event.
Five Strategic Priorities
Event Tier System
High-investment, high-return events that define the facility's community presence. Open houses and church fitness nights.
Lower-investment, steady-cadence events that maintain engagement and generate consistent referral pipeline. Bring a Friend days and info sessions.
Near-zero cost events embedded in daily facility operations. Re-test showcases, athlete recognition, culture moments.
Event Portfolio at a Glance
| Event Type | Audience | Primary Goal | Conversion Path | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community Open House | Parents | Pipeline generation | Attend → Tour → Book eval | Quarterly |
| School Partnership Demo | Parents, coaches, ADs | Pipeline + partnerships | Demo → Eval offer → Book | 2x/semester |
| Church Fitness Night | Faith-driven parents | Pipeline + community | Attend → Meet director → Book | Quarterly |
| Bring a Friend Day | Members + prospects | Referral pipeline | Train → Test → Eval offer | Monthly |
| Industry Conference | S&C coaches | Operator recruitment | Meet → Apply → Interview | 2-3x/year |
| Virtual Info Session | Parents or operators | Education + pipeline | Watch → Download → Book/Apply | Monthly |
6 Event Type Playbooks
Each playbook is a self-contained operational guide. Goal, audience, format, timeline, checklist, budget, post-event sequence, and KPIs. Select a tab to dive in.
Grand Opening Day Run of Show
Post-Event Follow-Up
event-launch-[location]
KPIs
| Metric | Target | Measurement |
|---|---|---|
| Day-of attendance | 60-100 families | Sign-in forms |
| Evals booked (day-of + 7 days) | 30-50 | CRM |
| Total evals in first 30 days | 100-150 | CRM |
| Founding members by Day 60 | 75-100 | Membership system |
| MRR by Day 60 | $16,425-$21,900 | Financial reporting |
| Content captured | 30+ photos, 5+ videos | Content library |
Core Promise
"See what your child's body is already telling you. In 40 minutes, we will show you data about your child's movement, strength, and injury risk that no one else has measured."
Run of Show
Pre-Event Marketing (4 Weeks)
KPIs
Core Promise
"We will show your athletes data about their movement, strength, and injury risk in 30 minutes. No cost. No commitment. Just data."
Run of Show
Take-Home Flyer Must Include
- Athlete's force plate data summary (printed at event)
- What the numbers mean (1-paragraph explanation)
- Invitation to free 40-minute evaluation at ETS facility
- QR code linking to evaluation booking page
- Director's name and direct contact information
- "The person who tested your child today is the person who will coach them. Every session."
KPIs
Core Promise
"A fun, values-first fitness experience for your youth group. Iron sharpens iron."
Run of Show
Critical Rules for Church Events
- Never turn this into a sales event. The moment it feels transactional, trust evaporates. Matt Hargrove is watching for exactly this.
- Let the youth pastor lead spiritual moments. The director is a guest. If the pastor invites the director to share, great. If not, stay in the fitness lane.
- Follow up through the youth pastor, not directly. Ask the pastor to share the evaluation flyer through normal church channels. Do not email families directly unless they opt in.
- Show up to church. If the director is invited to attend a service, go. This is relationship, not transaction.
- The faith alignment must be authentic. If a director is not comfortable in a faith-based environment, assign a different event type. Inauthenticity is worse than absence.
KPIs
Priority Conferences
NSCA National Conference
3,000-5,000 S&C professionals. The single largest concentration of ETS's target operator talent pool. Marcus Cole is here.
Target: 30-50 qualified leadsCSCCa National Conference
1,500-2,500 collegiate S&C coaches. Exclusively collegiate S&C. Highest-density event for operator recruiting.
Target: 20-35 qualified leadsBooth Design: The Micro-Facility
The booth is not a trade show exhibit. It is a micro-version of an ETS facility. The goal is a 5-minute experience that makes Marcus think: "This is different."
Lead Qualification Tiers
CSCS-certified, 3+ years, actively exploring, willing to relocate. 15+ min conversation. Book follow-up call at conference.
S&C background, interested but early-stage. 5-10 min conversation. Share "Coach and Own" guide. Enter nurture sequence.
Attended demo, asked questions. No S&C background or not ready. Collect email, enter awareness sequence.
Pre-Show Outreach (The 50% Rule)
Half of a trade show's ROI is determined before the booth opens. Pre-show outreach books meetings, warms the audience, and ensures the right people visit.
Parent Info Sessions (Monthly)
First Tuesday of each month, 7:30pm local time. Rotating topics:
- "What Your Child's Body Is Telling You: A Parent's Guide to Force Plate Data"
- "Why Deceleration Training Matters More Than Speed Training"
- "The ACL Problem: What Parents of Female Athletes Need to Know"
- "Inside an ETS Evaluation: What Happens in 40 Minutes"
Operator Webinars (Quarterly)
Title: "Coach and Own: The S&C Career Path Nobody Told You About." Same title every quarter. Consistency builds recognition.
Grand Opening Deep-Dive
A grand opening is the single highest-stakes event for any ETS facility. It sets the tone for the first 90 days of enrollment. The goal is not just awareness: 100+ evaluations booked in the first 30 days, translating to 40-50 founding members.
Infrastructure
Community Prep
Outreach Begins
Digital
Community
PR
Events
Digital
Facility
Community
Preview event for the director's warmest contacts: church partners, school contacts, league contacts, and their families. NOT the public grand opening. This is the "inner circle" event.
Format: Same as the open house playbook, but smaller and more intimate. 20-30 families max. Personal invitation only.
event-launch-[location]Grand Opening Budget
| Line Item | Budget Range |
|---|---|
| Pre-launch ads (45 days of digital promotion) | $750-$1,500 |
| Printed materials (flyers, evaluation cards, signage) | $300-$500 |
| Grand opening day refreshments and supplies | $200-$400 |
| Photography/videography (if external) | $300-$500 |
| Pre-launch church/school demo day costs | $500-$800 |
| Contingency | $200-$300 |
| Total Grand Opening Budget | $2,250-$4,000 |
12-Month Event Calendar
Enrollment peaks follow a seasonal pattern: August-September (fall sports), January (New Year + spring prep), and May-June (summer training). Events are timed to these peaks.
| Month | Event | Type | Tier | Budget | Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | New Year Open House | Open House | T1 | $1,500 | 40-60 attendees, 10-15 evals |
| Jan | Parent Info Session (Virtual) | Virtual | T2 | $0 | 30-50 registrants, 5-8 evals |
| Feb | School Demo Day #1 | School | T2 | $300 | 20-30 athletes, 8-12 evals |
| Feb | Bring a Friend Saturday | Referral | T2 | $150 | 15-25 friends, 5-8 evals |
| Mar | Church Youth Group Fitness Night | Church | T1 | $500 | 20-40 attendees, 6-10 evals |
| Mar | Spring Sports Prep Clinic | Clinic | T2 | $200 | 15-25 athletes, 5-8 evals |
| Month | Event | Type | Tier | Budget | Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr | Parent Info Session (Virtual) | Virtual | T2 | $0 | 30-50 registrants, 5-8 evals |
| Apr | Bring a Friend Saturday | Referral | T2 | $150 | 15-25 friends, 5-8 evals |
| May | End-of-Season Awards Night | Retention | T2 | $400 | 50-80 attendees, 3-5 referral evals |
| May | School Demo Day #2 | School | T2 | $300 | 20-30 athletes, 8-12 evals |
| Jun | Summer Kickoff Open House | Open House | T1 | $1,500 | 50-80 attendees, 12-18 evals |
| Jun | Church Fitness Night | Church | T1 | $500 | 20-40 attendees, 6-10 evals |
| Month | Event | Type | Tier | Budget | Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul | Parent Info Session (Virtual) | Virtual | T2 | $0 | 30-50 registrants, 5-8 evals |
| Jul | Bring a Friend Saturday | Referral | T2 | $150 | 15-25 friends, 5-8 evals |
| Aug | Back-to-School Community Night | Open House | T1 | $2,000 | 60-100 attendees, 15-20 evals |
| Aug | School Demo Day #3 | School | T2 | $300 | 20-30 athletes, 8-12 evals |
| Sep | Church Fitness Night | Church | T1 | $500 | 20-40 attendees, 6-10 evals |
| Sep | Bring a Friend Saturday | Referral | T2 | $150 | 15-25 friends, 5-8 evals |
| Month | Event | Type | Tier | Budget | Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct | Parent Info Session (Virtual) | Virtual | T2 | $0 | 30-50 registrants, 5-8 evals |
| Oct | Fall Sports Performance Clinic | Clinic | T2 | $200 | 15-25 athletes, 5-8 evals |
| Nov | Member Appreciation Night | Retention | T2 | $400 | 50-80 families, 3-5 referral evals |
| Nov | Bring a Friend Saturday | Referral | T2 | $150 | 15-25 friends, 5-8 evals |
| Dec | Holiday Family Event | Community | T1 | $800 | 40-60 families, brand building |
| Dec | Church Fitness Night | Church | T1 | $500 | 20-40 attendees, 6-10 evals |
Sponsorship Evaluation Framework
ETS sponsors local organizations for one reason: to put the director-coach in front of families. These are not logo placements. They are relationships. Most sponsors write a check and get a banner. ETS sponsors with presence.
Sponsorship Scoring Matrix
Rate each opportunity 1-5 before committing budget. Minimum score of 3.0 to proceed.
| Criterion | Weight | What to Evaluate |
|---|---|---|
| Audience Fit | 30% | What % of participants are families with athletes ages 8-18? |
| Director Access | 25% | Can the director attend, interact with families, and demonstrate value (not just display a logo)? |
| Referral Potential | 20% | Will this generate word-of-mouth within a trust network (church, school, team)? |
| Repeatability | 15% | One-time event or ongoing relationship that compounds over time? |
| Cost Efficiency | 10% | Cost per expected evaluation booked |
Decision Thresholds
Always Negotiate For
Example: Little League Sponsorship ROI
ROI payback within 2 months. Annual revenue from 5 enrollments: $9,855.
Annual Sponsorship Budget Per Facility
Rule: Never sponsor more than 5-6 organizations per year. The director's time is the limiting resource, not the budget. Better to go deep with 3 partners than shallow with 8.
Post-Event Nurture Sequences
Every event type has a specific follow-up sequence. The window between event attendance and evaluation booking is where most facilities lose leads. These sequences close that gap.
Event ROI Measurement
The ROI Formula
Example: Community Open House
ROI Benchmarks by Event Type
| Event Type | Target CPE | E2E Rate | Enrollments | Target ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community Open House | $100-150 | 40-50% | 5-8 | 500-700% |
| School Demo Day | $25-50 | 45-55% | 4-6 | 800-1,200% |
| Church Fitness Night | $50-80 | 40-50% | 3-5 | 600-900% |
| Bring a Friend Day | $15-30 | 50-60% | 2-4 | 1,000-1,500% |
| Parent Info Session | $0 | 35-45% | 2-4 | Infinite |
| Grand Opening | $150-250 | 40-50% | 15-30 | 300-500% |
Attribution Methodology
Source Code Format
Attribution Window
60 days from event date. Any evaluation booked within 60 days where the lead was captured at the event.
Multi-Touch Attribution
If a lead attends multiple events before enrolling, credit is split 50/50 between first touch and last touch.
Reporting Cadence
Per-event debrief within 72h. Monthly dashboard. Quarterly ROI review. Annual portfolio review.
Budget Framework
Per-Facility Annual Budget
| Category | Range | % of Local |
|---|---|---|
| Community events | $6,000-$10,000 | 15-20% |
| Local sponsorships | $4,000-$8,000 | 10-15% |
| Grand opening (one-time) | $2,250-$4,000 | Launch |
| Total per-facility | $10,000-$18,000 | 25-35% |
Corporate Annual Budget
| Category | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Industry conferences | $25,000-$50,000 | Booth, travel, materials |
| Virtual events | $5,000-$10,000 | Platform, promotion |
| Director summit | $15,000-$30,000 | Annual, internal |
| Total corporate | $45,000-$90,000 |
Per-Event Cost Templates
7 Key Principles
The facility is the event. Once families see the culture, the data, and the person coaching their child, the product sells itself.
Show, do not tell. Matt needs the Proverbs. Rachel needs the data. Marcus needs a peer who made the jump.
Follow up within 4 hours. Lead value decays 50% per day. Hot leads get a personal touch the same day.
Every event produces content. If no one captured photos, testimonials, or data, the event served half its purpose.
Directors own the events. Corporate provides playbooks. Directors execute. Their presence is the product.
Track everything to source. Every lead gets a CRM source code. No code, no attribution, no ROI measurement.
Go deep, not wide. Three church partnerships producing 15 evaluations each beat eight visits producing 2 each.